The Top 101 Free Agents of 2026!

00:00:00
Speaker 1: It's a tough sports not for everybody. You gotta be a little sick to love this game. And we got some stickos.

00:00:06
Speaker 2: Welcome to NFL Daily, where, yeah, we're gonna get sick Today we're gonna break down the top one hundred and one free agents of twenty twenty six. I'm Greg Rosenthal in a rainy Los Angeles garage and talking to my friend Ali Connolly from across the pond in Manchester. It's a big day, the first time wherever exclusively debuting the free agency rankings on the podcast, at least until the moment my editor realizes it and takes this episode down.

00:00:36
Speaker 1: Only what a day. Everyone's been waiting on ten to hooks. You've been completely frazzled, going back and forth. Should this guy be seventy nine, should be sixty three? Finally we've reached it.

00:00:47
Speaker 2: I had an idea, and I might do this next year with you and others, that we should just do a minute on every person in the top one oh one, which I would have fun doing that like, And I think I think the listener who are listening to us at this point in the offseason and want to hear about our cam curl versus Kobe Bryant debate as safety Are they safety one in this free agency crop in the forties somewhere? I think they would be into it. This is a show for Sikos and we are going to try to get through all top one oh one, at least the names, and we also have a bunch of different categories that I asked Ali to fill out because it's a due date right now and I haven't even written the profiles. This thing is fluid. It still might change. Ali said, My most trumpy in quality is that I'm impacted. I told him that a lot by the last person that I've talked to. So Ali, you have a chance to change history and change these rankings one last time.

00:01:46
Speaker 1: It's a lot of pressure. I enjoy having that kind of power of you right now. It's great leverage to have. Let's see how we can change this thing up.

00:01:52
Speaker 2: Okay, let's start with the top ten. And I made a big change the night before we're taping this. I move Malik Willis up to number and I'll explain it after I give you my entire top ten. Let's actually go in reverse order, and then we'll talk about Malik at one and we'll talk about the whole thing. Number ten, Boye Mafe, the edge rusher of the Seattle Seahawks, coming off a Super Bowl, been in a rotation, great player, Devin Lloyd coming off his career year, A guy Ali had as a second team All Pro I believe last year, so the come up was happening. Daniel Jones number eight on my list, coming off that Achilles tear a. Dafe Oway my top young edge rusher at number seven, but we do have Trey hendrickson a spot above him at number six. Alec Pierce, the big playmaker, Patrick Clayband's favorite wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts. Number five Tyler Linderbaum, a rare multi All Pro coming off his rookie contract. The center for the Ravens is number four. Jalen Phillips made himself a lot of money. Number three, the edge sure who was traded to the Eagles last year. Number two, I have George Pickens. The expectation is he's gonna get franchise tagged. Of course, that could happen to some other players here, but it's not happening to Malik Willis, who I decided to go number one with and I just thought about the exercises. If it's my team, what am I doing? And I know it's a small sample size and I know the other players are safer, but I started to think about it like the draft. Once I had him at five or six, Ali, it's like he's the quarterback. He's number If I think he's good enough to be four to eight, which is where he was at various iterations, he's good enough to be number one because I do think he's good enough to be a franchise quarterback, and to me, that's enough. I'm excited about his future if he lands in the right spot.

00:03:51
Speaker 1: What are the qualities that get you from being kind of an exciting lung shout, let's see what we've got, bridget to why you're pushing it to franchise.

00:03:59
Speaker 2: Because I rewatched his tape from last year and it's just electric. And he's the best running quarterback in the league right now. That's a great starting point. And he showed a lot of variety and ability to hit throwsen in scheme, in the scheme that is the most popular in the NFL right now. And I imagine, like, can I see Malik Willis as a you said, Bridge, starter like it's a bad thing. Let's say he's like a little plus that like, let's say he's a bridge starter plus he's like the twelfth or thirteenth best quarterback in the league. That's worthy of me of putting him number one. And I think that path is absolutely there for him.

00:04:38
Speaker 1: I could see a path where it's almost like Daniel Jones the Colts, where the perfect right environment, could you just have an electric opening nine ten weeks the season. I could for sure see that happening. And that's worthy to me of being the number one guy on the ball at that position. The thing that jumped out to me is beyond the arm talent, the speed, the electricity that was evident going back to college, is just the poise that's with him, the navigation of the pocket, the feel for getting through the reads quickly, going boom boom, boom, one two, three, get the ball out, and a lot of that comes in the schemed up environment, and he was in a pretty ideal scheme I think for his development, but also just the feel on the fly off. This place is a disaster. The pocket is broken down. I got to find an escape valve, and no one can keep up with me.

00:05:21
Speaker 2: He's a guy who would fit really well in Arizona, where his last coach assistant, Nathaniel Hackett is obviously the brother of Matt Lafleur. Mike is coaching the team, and some Cardinals fans are already pushing back because now I'm driving this train. I don't know if it's the best spot for Malik Willis, but I do think it makes sense for the Cardinals, and I think they're going to have the capacity to make it happen. Minnesota would be another fun fit if he gets in the right system. I really think he could be absolutely electric, So I feel good about him at number one over all? Are you concerned at all with Tyler Linderbaum? I decide to save asking you this on the show, you know he's at number four overall, and ended up putting Jalen Phillips over him. But that's a minor tweak. There are some different opinions about whether he's like a future Hall of Famer, which I know you're going crazy. I well, here's why. I'm just gonna say that for the normies who aren't really watching, and I'm somewhere between normy and like an offensive line tape ed I'm not an offensive line tape. It is what I'm saying. If you just look at like his Pro Bowls and All Pros as a young player, that is the path of a guy who ends up getting considered for Canton someday. The fact that the Ravens are letting him hit the market, and then the fact that other people that I respect a lot have differing opinions. Obviously that's not a Hall of Fame track. But where do you think he is in the center landscape?

00:07:02
Speaker 1: In the center landscape, I think he would probably round out and it's a pretty thin group in the league right now, in the top seven, top eight range. And this idea that he's going to get a market resetting deal for the position I think is pretty laughable. He will get it because of the reputation and because of the highlight flashes, and he is a true weapon in the rung game. I just can't fathom paying someone eighty million dollars at the pivot position who is I think solid to above average and pass protection, and for a guy who's called all the shots in the protection for a team that has consistent breakdowns and protection in an era where that is the main job right now, right, that's the main responsibility. There is so much on the plate of these centers. And you see a guy like Hep Frolholt who is nowhere near the kind of technical master that Linda bam is nowhere near the athlete that Linda bamb is, but can have a serviceable level of replacement to Linda baumb because he just understands the position, understands the protections, understands responsibilities. He just isn't good enough to me in passports be paid at that top top of the market rate.

00:08:06
Speaker 2: Well, that's where the non tape heed. I can see him getting pushed back, and not in a way that you think he's some massive weakness, but also not in a way that you don't notice it at all. And then and you started to think, I started to think this last season, it's like, okay, that's that's not necessarily the best center in the league. If I'm noticing that enough where he gets pushed back, and it'll be really fascinating to see how the Ravens value him, how John Harbaugh, you know, values him. Todd Munkins in Cleveland, because the part where it's not laughable to me that he would get that market resetting contract. Ali is well, if he is what you say, he is, the seventh or ace best center in the league, that is the guy who gets a market resetting contract. That's just kind of how it works if they actually get to free agency, because it's so rare. It's that sort of type of player, guy who's not quite top three or four because he already would have been resigned, but gets out there and that's how we get, like Jimmy Garoppolo as the highest paid quarterback in the league for a couple of weeks.

00:09:10
Speaker 1: I think what you'd have to do is just be a team that's comfortable with there's not gonna be a lot on his plate in terms of the mental side of the game. You shift that more to the quarterback, and can you put him into a situation like Drew Dolman in Atlanta at these very similar qualities, which is sensational in run blocking, getting off the ball, first step quickness, a lot of breakdowns in past protection, can get run through at the point of attack. Can you get him into that kind of situation? And Dolman got paid quite heavily in Frangy too, but it's not gonna be quite the scale of a Linda Baum and I just think that the reputation far outstrips the actual play you get, and you're gonna put such a percentage of cap into a play who isn't really that much of a needle mover. He does a lot for you in the wrong game. You can get to a really diverse run scheme and have a lot of fun drawing that stuff up, But is it really worth what the price Taggers is going to be.

00:09:56
Speaker 2: I don't know why I haven't seen La connected to him, because that sound the chargers that is that that sounds like a fun fit for the run scheme that Mike McDaniel would be running. And they have all the cap space in the world and an incredibly huge need. So there now I have a favorite fit. And look all these guys have, Wartz, and I think what you said about the communication issues or their struggles in pass protection is really spot on, and that's where the pro personnel scouting and people are going to do their homework on where his responsibilities really are there. I want to keep going, though. I bumped Pierce up slightly throughout the process, like he started at nine or ten, and he goes ahead of Trey Hendrickson. I do think it's okay to point out Trey Hendrickson is coming off an injured year. He's thirty two years old. Even in those four games, maybe he was playing through something I don't remember, but he wasn't popping quite as much. But all these guys in the top ten are flawed in some way. A da Feoway was coming off a half season where he wasn't doing much, you know, Linderbaum his quote un quote flaws. He's just the seventh or eighth guy. People are complaining about this free agency class. It's not amazing at the top, like the top twenty to thirty, probably worse than usual. I will argue throughout this episode it's actually a very good class. I think it's better eighty to one hundred and forty than maybe I've ever seen. I really like a ton of players who didn't even make by one on one and that never happens. But at the top it's not great. What do you think about kind of the order here of the rest of the top ten, with Hendrickson at six, Daniel Jones, who I have some concerns about, you know, a little further down coming off that injury.

00:11:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's the middle class is very strong, and isn't it great when the middle class is doing well? And so it's just trying to find the guys who maybe have a little bit more of a pulp, a little bit more of an X fact, a little bit more of a dynamic game changing fact to you know, as you mentioned at the top, the I of Devin Lloyd, I would I would push him, maybe a book, Linda make.

00:11:54
Speaker 2: The case for him, because he's very divisive or as you would say, they're divisive. He is the one that probably more people think he's too high, and I know you think the opposite. And I really love that tape. The tape, I really love Devin Lloyd, so I can be convinced for him to be moved up. But he's someone where some people in the league think he was a product of just getting the ball thrown to him a couple of times and making big plays and what do you think was special and why he should be higher.

00:12:27
Speaker 1: I think that is valid and fair criticism that he was probably more down to down consistent the year before in a pretty ill fitting scheme where I thought he was better as just a run defender and all around impact on the defense and then was allowed to be more of a playmaker and attack the line of scrimmage last season and then got more of the highlight flashy plays where people saw recognizing the game more and he went from being criminally underrated in my opinion to maybe slightly overinflated. And it's such a deep linebacker free agent class that the dollar amount to go get Devin Lloyd, where you could go and find two pretty good starters deep deal like one thirties, one forties. I think that's pretty fat criticism. I would just like to have one of the maybe three or four best blitzing linebackers in the NFL in an era where with blitzing like maniacs all the time.

00:13:12
Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, we'll get to Cayden Ellis, who's kept rising too, and that was one of the reasons I did have him keep rising, because you want a guy who can blitz. All Right, there's my top ten, and I feel good about it. Daniel Jones, I'll get to he's part of one of my categories a little later, but let's go with the next ten. Kenneth Walker. The third is eleventh, Rashid Shahed is twelve, so that's actually three straight Seahawks, Mafe Walker and Shahed you know, explosive players. Obviously, so is Bryce Hall, who I do like, and I don't think he's going to get to free agency. His teammate Elijah Vera Tucker. I have quite high coming off a injury. You should be able to come off and be totally fine a torn biceps. He's been a versatile, really good starter on the offensive line. David Edwards, the guard for the Bills, is going to get paid. Jamel Dean is higher than maybe when I first set you this list, I ultimately decided he's the best quarterback available. Mike Evans and Kid Aten and Kyle Pitts I believe is rounding out my top twenty, or is it Travis CTN is the guy in my top twenty, so a lot of offensive players. Nothing got more anger from people than Kada and this high, like Kaita and over pits Kata and this high at all. I heard from a couple people that he's not even in the top hundred of some other lists. We spent a lot of time on tight End, so I don't want to spend too much on the Kada, but make me feel better because I don't rank this based on how you're gonna get paid. Obviously, the running backs and the linebackers and the tight ends are aren't going to get paid. I'm doing off of who i'd want on my team, and if they're plus starters, and I'm factoring in some guys I think they're gonna make big money, but basically, are they plus starters at their position? What I want them on my team? In Kate I and I think fits almost any offense, and I would want him on my team, and even just a little bit over two other really good tight ends who had really one of my team too, Kyle Pitts and Isaia Likely.

00:15:12
Speaker 1: I agree with you. I do think that then this may be dripping in condescension. I apologize, But Kyle Pitts is like, do you want to win the Fantasy Football Championship? And Kate don is, are we trying to win the Super Bowl? Do you want to hit a globalized offense then it can attack the defense in every single blade of grass who makes us right and makes us whole in everything we want to do. He's just to me, about as solid as a start in everything you want with real plus attributes as a run blocker and a move blocker and all these play action elements that people talk about and they love the play action game. You've got to have a tight end who can be really effective as a move blocker, and that's what often is. Is he at the level of a game breaker that you may be traditionally hunting for in this kind of element of the for Agent list. He's not quite that. But we just mentioned it's this really deep middle class and middle band, So some one might be fortieth in someone's eyes, but I think it's per reasonable to have him eighteenth.

00:16:01
Speaker 2: I really struggled with the the this part of the list more than anywhere else after the top ten or so. I was just like eleven to forty or so to use that number. It could have It could have been sprinkled different ways. Now I really like Isaiah likely you're.

00:16:19
Speaker 1: The one I would pick you up on slightly is Kenneth Walker, because if you are hunting for who could kind of change the fortunes of the team, and he maybe will drive you crazy every once in a while, but we really just want explosivity and top end production, and maybe we'll take over a playoff game for a single Handedly. I feel like that pushes him right into that Alex Piss category. It is maybe a little bit more reliable, but over the always over the Daniel joneses, I think I would I would maybe move.

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Speaker 2: Walka though interesting. Yeah, the the position and the fact that it's it's inconsistent, and I feel good having a running back that high at eleven. I could see him being higher. Shaheed I struggled with because he help, he helps an eye, the production wasn't there in Seattle. Is he limited perhaps, but ultimately a premium position, and I think the guy I would want the most at that position. After Pierce, I felt okay about it. How do you feel about the offensive Lineman Edwards and Vera tucka kind of leading the way there.

00:17:21
Speaker 1: I think it's solid. I think Verat Tucker is really, really, really solid. I think that you're not looking for the high end explosive upside of someone like a Linda Baumb but he certainly more saw than Linda bomb in past protection. And so if you're just looking for a capable stocking god, this probably I mean it goes pretty deep this season in the free aging kem Wall, You've probably not gonna have to go and overpay to go and get a serviceable God this season. I think I would have Verit Tucker. That's probably the right order. I would say Veritoker than Edwards.

00:17:48
Speaker 2: By the way, to pick up on something you said a minute ago, the Condescending ALI is the best album. I mean, that's what I want. Like condescelling Condescending ALI number one, number two is just like on no sleep whatsoever and flaming the rest of the NFL. Let's do a segment here, so let's give some fits to some of the top players. Some of them we've mentioned already, but you can get into some players we haven't mentioned that we will get into on the list. And yes, it is time for charging into free agency presented by Apple Card for all your game day purchases. We can just go back and forth here. You did have some fits for Pierce and Willis specifically near the top of the list.

00:18:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's start with Willis. I love the fit of Malik Willis to the Steelers. Now it's a little bit of a leap of faith in the offense and in Mike McCarthy, who I do still believe in my bones is genuinely an excellent quarterback developer, and it's not just him, you know, coming up with a PowerPoint presentation about Joe Montana in his forties and how he helped that guy out with his footwork, and if he's dialed in and locked into actually coaching day to day, I think I'd be really beneficial for Willis continuing his development. I just think that offensive line is so into utilize, so athletics, so explosive. You could do so many creative things. If you start to fuse in the quote about room game with Malik Willis with the drop back, deep passing game of Mike McCarthy, I think you can kind of picture in your mind those two wolts together. And I think that would be be excellent for the Steelers to just have some ideas, some blueprin fall the next two three years. With like a quote about the unt rolling get back with Iron Rodgers.

00:19:22
Speaker 2: I'd like to see it. They did spend last year. Are they going to continue to be that sort of team. It's a little bit of a sea change, But they have a new general manager, relatively new, and Omar Khan and and maybe maybe they'll surprise everyone. It really sounds like they're just gonna bring Aaron Rodgers back there quote unquote waiting, and they're happy, but I would love for them to surprise us. We might ask Omar Khan about that. He is penciled in as a guest next week on NFL Daily. I'm sure he'll just he'll just tell us what's gonna happen. I do like Malik Willis in Arizona. It's partly Minnesota would be even better, but Zona feels more realistic. It's partly just for my own entertainment. It's just like, Okay, I'm not really thrilled about the Mike Lafler Nate Hackett Cardinals, and I want better for Malik Willis. But great left tackle, maybe not great, very good left tackle, very good weapons to start with. I just think it could be fun. So I think that could make a team that doesn't seem that interesting to me right now interesting. Immediately, you have Alec Pierce to the Titans, which would absolutely devastate Colts fans, and yeah, would be would be a fun mix. I had Wandale going to the Titans because Brian Dabele, who I don't know how he felt about Wandale, but he's there and in the end, he got a lot of production with Brian Dabele. I don't think they could get both. But why do you like Alec Pierce there with the Titans.

00:20:47
Speaker 1: Just like adding a real field stretcher to Brian dabel who wants to get vertical down the field. Give cam Ward the kind of easy option if you're gonna go hunt the big play. We've got the best field stretcher we could possibly find in the market. Then we can maybe play you know, rhythm football after that. I just think it'll be a nice fit.

00:21:03
Speaker 2: Yeah. I also like your Nick Cross to the Bills. We're gonna start getting a little deeper and I'm going to read off these names, but when we're doing the segments we can we can kind of reveal Nick Cross that I think is in the in the forties for me as an underrated colt safety. You have him going to the Bills. I also have the Bills with what would be a fun signing, But all right, you go with Cross first.

00:21:27
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean the Bills have been open. I think in their press conference is that the goal of the defense is to be more multiple and not in the kind of generic sense, but truly be able to shape shift before the snap, take it as late as possible into the snap. How can we move around, how can we rotate, how can we adjust the front? You've got to find one of these hybrid players who is comfortable playing on the line of scrimmage linebacker when needed at safety, And I just think Nick Cross is one of the most criminally underrated plays of being able to change what you can do in terms of switching the front around, changing the structure of the defense. They're going to move a tom pre snap. I don't think he's going to cost an awful lot of money. And if they're trying to maybe cheap out defensively, if just the way Jim Lennon is signaling it, and he's got a safety background and he wants to bring a bunch of pressure from the safeties while having this kind of mobile moving from that defense doesn't fit that right now. But one of the kind of lynchpin pieces you need is that hybrid safety and it can kind of correct some of the issues you may have by having to invest heavily in the defensive line. So I just think it'll be a home run pick up for them.

00:22:23
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know the safeties are going to go cheap, and it's going to annoy me when I see some linemen that I have ranked below the safeties getting quadruple all the money. But that's just how I like to do my rankings, just thinking about the plus starters because you get those deals. Cam Curll went two years, nine million dollars two years ago. I mean that contract aged amazingly and he played really well. I have him just ahead of Nick Cross. I believe we'll get to that and he maybe could double that and go to for eighteen million dollars. But safeties are cheap, but they're still important to have plus safety. So you had uh boy A Mafi to the Niners. You had, Yeah, the Niners making a big move there. I have Rashid Shaheed to the Niners. I think I think that would be fun, like they they sneak. You have a monster wide receiver need. Now there's no Brian de Nayuka on the roster. There's no Juwan Jennings on the rostar. It's really just Ricky Piersaw who's not always healthy. And that's about it. So what do you think of Shahid? Because I could see him on the bills too, Like would would he be a guy that that's where they try to address the receiver position, at least in free agency as a field stretcher.

00:23:36
Speaker 1: For Josh Allen, that would almost feel like Brandon bean Kow towing to public pressure, like let's.

00:23:41
Speaker 2: Go get the guys. It gonna be yeah, just soon's it gonna be Yes.

00:23:47
Speaker 1: It's weird. On was Shihed. I thought he was a more developed, more nuanced player in New Orleans, and now it was kind of driving that line like, hey, he's more than you think. He's not just a field stretcher. Then he got to Seattle and people may have been correct. I may have been wrong that maybe really is the core element of his game, and particularly if you're the Niners and the Bills too. Frankly, I just think they need a little bit more reliability, someone you can just go and get it off the break along the sideline, tough contested catches. I just think more of a chay mover with a bit of a vertical presence. Which is what makes Alec Piss so different, is that he is that kind of speeds to down the field, but has become way more adaptable attacking the middle of the field too, and being more possession based in his game. Wish he heat. It would feel like adding the fireworks in, but how we actually gonna like systematically drive the ball down the field. Would be fun with Shanahan, but I just think they need a little bit more reliability.

00:24:36
Speaker 2: They need a lot and I think we're both hitting on something that I think they're going to be aggressive. So whether it's a pass rusher and a receiver, like I think they will get a pass rusher and receiver. Obviously we're talking about guys at the top of the market. Mafe would be a fun fit there some guys lower in the market. I thought a dan Quinn Trayvon Diggs reunion in Washington would be fun. I have Trayvon Diggs maybe a little too high. I did move him down throughout the week. I always just think if a guy and I know he was a little lucky in the interception year, but that the year after he kind of backed it up with just better coverage. Overall, you could see lightning strike twice with some of these cornerbacks and you're buying low. Is why I kind of like him. With dan Quinn, it'll just be a cheap one year contract. I could see Joey Bosa, his old defensive line coaches with the Rams. I could see the Rams having just kind of some mercenary types for one year, and to me, he would make a little sense. There you have Mike Evans with the Chiefs, which is a lot of fun. What do you think about what the Chiefs are going to do this offseason? And why do you like Mike Evans? Who's part of another category that we're going to do in a little later which is like guys that I just would want to sign because ex receivers, they still matter and I don't think you're gonna have to totally break break the bank for Mike Evans. And I think when he played last year he still looked like Mike Evans.

00:25:51
Speaker 1: He looked really good. I love Mike Evans. I want full Mike Evans. If he's going to end his career, can he end it with one of the great ones? And so if it's Josh Allen Patrick mahone almost the money is obviously very relevant to Mike Evans, but for me it's not that relevant. I just want him to win his career catching passes from one of the great ones. And I love the idea of the Chiefs having an adult in the room at receiver would be I think important. And the idea of reliability of we have a precise special quote about who can just throw it to the spot on the field on third and night when we're in the mud, Michael just go grab it and it'll come down with everything, and we can build in with all the fun creative playmakers, all the shot plays down the field, but when we just got to get it on third and six for the game, we can just throw the ball to Mike and he'll come down with it.

00:26:34
Speaker 2: A better version of what DeAndre Hopkins was like with the Chiefs, which I had to just google quickly. I was like, that really happened right he played in the Super Bowl. I was there a little bit of a bummer that that didn't work out, But I think the Mike Evans shout out would be a lot more fun, all right. That was charging into free agency presented by Applecart. Apply for apple Cart in the wallet app today. Start earning daily cash back on all your game day per time is from tickets to tailgate, munchies to merch subject to credit approval. So we've gotten through the top twenty. We got a long way to go, let's take a break. We're gonna come back and start firing through the rest of this list. Back on NFL Daily, wondering if we did miss an opportunity to do that one player per minute, We're doing it next year. Ali, I'm signing us up. I'm putting it down. I like that idea. But we're gonna we're gonna rattle through these and we're gonna talk about Quitty pay. The number thirty player in the top one oh one free agents been all up and down the board. Do I really want Quitty paying my team? Probably not. I think he's gonna get paid. Maybe he should be a little lower like for the money, but he's still a young, potentially difference making pass rusher from the Colts. Alante Taylor a favorite of mine at thirty one, slot cornerback but can play outside, but probably best in the slot. Isaac Sayamalo, the guard from the Steelers. Tariq Woollin, who's moved down during the week, Number thirty four. Nakobe Dean at thirty five, the linebacker for the Eagles. Connor McGovern, the center for the Bills, has been sneaking up the list. His teammate last year. Joey Bosa, who I talked about, is next, then Calevon Chason who had a breakout year for the Patriots, and Cayden Ellis the linebacker for the Falcons. Wrapping up the top forty is Khalil Mack, so I kind of have him and Bosa grouped maybe too highly, man, This is where I said that after the top ten, but this is really where the list Like, it's tough. You could make the argument like one year mercenaries like Bosa and Max should be much lower compared to younger guys, so you're going to have a longer timeline like pay. But I think they're probably better players than Quitty pay right now. Maybe a Connor McGovern who's been I think pretty rock solid as a starting center, should be a little higher. Tareik Willen and Nakobe Dean are both boom or bust type of players. What stands out to you? I want to actually start with say am Alo, and then I'll ask you what stands out? Because am I overrating say a Malo. I keep hearing he's gonna get a lot of money, Like is it why? Like should he should?

00:29:18
Speaker 1: He is a different question. I think I think he will because of just how lacking in solid interior line play the league is across the board. I would not let him go of ou as the Steelers.

00:29:29
Speaker 2: Okay, that makes me feel better about the ranking. What about what about Freak Willin, who I think is on a list of yours coming up, and so we might as well, you know, unveil that now. Guys, guys, you would be wary of you have Trek Willen and Joey Bosa on that list.

00:29:48
Speaker 1: Joey Bosa first would just be the health track record. I thought the effort fluctuated massively down the stretch this season. He just was not interested in an awful lot of plays and just took a bunch plays off, which is not something you would traditionally associated with his game. And he just didn't finish the way he has done traditionally. And if you start removing his stripping back the elements he used to make him an impactful play who always took some plays off and would kind of just have eyes only for the past rush, eyes only for the quotes back, and you kind of live with the downsides of his game. If you start ripping away five six snaps the game of the good stuff I just stopped to wonder, like, what are we paying for it?

00:30:25
Speaker 2: I think I'm maybe a prisoner of you know, a couple tweets I sent where or you know. Midway through the year, I'm like, man, he was one of the best free agent signings because there were a couple of games where it felt like Joey Bosa was kind of the difference, which it's hard to find in free agency. I think it was much better than the numbers, but the playoff performance was ghastly. And yeah, hearing what you said, like I said, you have a chance to influence, I think Joey Bosa is going to move down in these final rankings.

00:30:52
Speaker 1: So j Joey Bosa missed a third of his tackle attempts last season and probably missed fifty of tackles he should have been in position to make but had to interest.

00:31:03
Speaker 2: That's what I mean, is he he gets there and just the like you could see the old Joey Bosa sometimes to get off like so that that was exciting and I think he really helped. But I think, yeah, it's good to keep him in context. Freak Willin is a total boomer bust pick for this group and the top of the cornerbacks. Let's talk about like overall, like Jamel Dean's up there, Jalen Watson I like a lot, but I don't know if I love. And then Wolan is kind of this X factor who seems like he should be like a big time free agent contract. But do you want him? Let's say over Josh job who the Seattle Seahawks who had a Super Bowl winning coaching staff basically chose to start over threeque willin.

00:31:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I follow more that Mike McDonald Jesseman into ideology of colnez Off. Just give me the dependable, reliable guys. Most deceptions, most turnovers are either breakups in the middle of the field or just a quarterback making a bad decision and you catch the ones they throw to you. They throw you a bad ball, you pick that one off, You hope you can cral it in. I think it's almost like an old school two thousands, big fraging contract type mindset to think, oh, we'll go and find the playmaker at corner. I think it's a really nice added benefit if one of your corners can go and high point the ball and make some ridiculous play outside of his assignment. I'd rather just have the assignment sound cornerbacks. And I think Woolan just goes to sleep for far too many plays games, including in an NFC championship game whereas a super Bowl on the line, and he's going to sleep consistently worrying about everything else that's happening not on the field. So he would just be a cross off for me, And you would just have to live with the fact that he'll probably have a season where it's seven eight interceptions and he's becomes really famous and makes the pro bawl. But does it really impact winning on a down to down basis.

00:32:51
Speaker 2: I mean, if you get seven to nine interceptions that year, he'll impact winning. But I hear what you're saying, these cornerbacks pop up. It's such a hard position to predict in general. All Right, I asked you for some guys you'd want to sign, and one of them is in this tier. I like your idea that's related to McGovern I.

00:33:11
Speaker 1: Like the idea of pairrying conom Governor David Ewitts together with the Raiders. I thought the Vikings tried this last season right with Will Fryes and the center as well Ryan Kelly, and it didn't go quite so well for them, more because of health concerns, I think than anything else. Though Fries played better down the stretch of the season. But if you're going to be drafting Fernando Mendoza, which we expect them to do, I love the idea of bringing two veterans, steady hands who've played together, who are teammates, who have the chemistry and kind of the wink wink connection, and you look at what they've been asked to do, and Josh Allen is a freak and he sorts a lot of things out for you, and he makes you look a lot better. They had by far over the past two seasons the highest individual one on one blocking rate in the league the Bills did. They don't blow any assignments, they don't allow any free runners. They have a really low time to pressure, which does not involve Josh holding onto the bowl and getting rid of the ball quickly. So I just think the idea of saying, let's bring the two vets in. We've got all this cap room. The line is being a mess for years. We keep chasing the high up side guys in the draft. Let's go get two solid plus starts is in the in the middle of the offensive line, and Fernando can at least be stable from send it to left.

00:34:19
Speaker 2: God, I know, the longer this has gotneen, the more I've thought I should move mcgovernor up. Or you how do you? What do you think about him in the thirties here where he is?

00:34:26
Speaker 1: I like McGovern I like McGovern a lot. I would I would bump him a decent amount up.

00:34:30
Speaker 2: Yeah. There just aren't many guys that are gonna be able to start at that position right away that would normally be available in free agency. And so that's why I'm glad I gave this week to really think about it, because I think he's gonna keep moving up and up. All right, Let's go to the next ten and Brian Cook should have been somewhere in there. The problem is I got too many lists. I'm copying and pasting back and forth. The official list. Brian Cook is that is the top safety on and we have even mentioned him yet. He should have been in there somewhere. Number forty is Kobe Bryant, who is the next safety I have on this list, the Super Bowl winning safety for the Seahawks hitting free agency right in the middle of his prime number forty one, Quay Walker, first round pick of the Packers, number forty chig Oconquo, the tight end of the Titans. Caid Mays, who a lot of people might not know, started at center last year for the Panthers. Nick Cross, who we talked about Leo Chanel, always a dynamic player but never playing more than like five hundred snaps for the Chiefs, is an interesting young player. Brayden Smith the right tackle for the Colts. He's an interesting case because I think his overall play as a pro would have him even higher, but there's issues with concussions and concerns about retirement, so I sort of split the difference and put him around here. I don't even know for sure if he's playing football this year. Cam curl is next, the safety for the Rams, Joseph Assi bass rusher for the Bengals, and then Juan Jennings in the mix. Uh the wide receiver for the forty nine ers. And I asked you to come up with some guys you want to sign. We just talked Edwards and McGovern. Another couple of them, Cad Mays and Brian Cook on your list.

00:36:17
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'd rather have Cad May's at seven million dollars year than Linda Baum at eighty million dollars a year. Right, Mays is not getting Mays at seven though, I think. I don't think so.

00:36:27
Speaker 2: I don't think so. I think that's out of the barn. I think there's other teams that are going to be interested, and I think the Panthers are going to have to pay up it. It's do I think he's just going to get paid as a starter, which is like that's starting double digits per year.

00:36:39
Speaker 1: I think better pressure rate than Linda Baum last year. Fewer snaps, but better pressure rate. Fewel one on one prescious than Linda Baum last year. I feel one on one sex than Linda Baumb last year. I just think he has better slick of feet than he's given credit fall for someone who was six six three twenty five. He was a college tackle playing now at center in the NFL, and I think he's really switched on, particularly in the room game one and then I think else. But I think he's solid enough in past pro and zems the mental side of the game, and it's just a big unit, big ot. It's difficult to move off the spot in past pro and he's another one way. If you can get him to one of these more protective systems like the BES where it's a lot of double teams to help out the centa, you then feel very little of the downside of his game and just get all the upside.

00:37:24
Speaker 2: So I love that. And there were some guys that I'd like to sign out of this group or that we've mentioned so far, but Juwan Jennings at the end of it, Like like Mike Evans, it depends on the price. I don't think the price is gonna be that that much. So I think it could be Robert Salah in Tennessee It we'll see, like the former Juwan Jennings guy. But that's a guy you're looking to execute your offense and block and if he needs to pop up as a guy who I don't know about, carries you but has a bigger target share for a little while, he's a per value slash talent. You know what you're getting when you look back at these lists year after year. Really the best hits are the guys in the middle that you signed to two year, fourteen million dollars contracts and they just come in and they can play good football for you, and I think Juwan Jennings to me is like a lesser version of Mike Evans, not similar in terms of players, but just the type of wide receiver. I said, I like Mike Evans also I like Juwan Jennings.

00:38:25
Speaker 1: I agree with I think when you go for those reliable guys who you know what you're getting and can plug into basically any system, that's your best bet, and you're not playing paying top of the market thinking you're bringing in a dynamic difference maker those sides we're talking about, whether it's the chiefs of the bills, the truth contenders who are hunting for like one extra piece in the receiver room, maybe two, including the draft. That is the kind of guy I would focus in on when you know exactly what you get and complain every single alignment, every single position for you, really reliable, very smooth down the field, and if you get him with someone like a Josh Allen, that maybe even be more upside than we've already seen.

00:39:00
Speaker 2: So I mentioned Kayden Ellis as a guy that I would like for the right amount of money, you know, Isaiah Likely or Kadea and I'd be really excited to sign as well. And then I'm looking at my list of guys I'd want to sign, and one of them is Germaine Illuminor. And I realized Ali, a perfectionist, would stop the tape right here and we'd go back and we'd fix the fact that we completely skipped numbers twenty through thirty on the list, because that's where ILLUMINAI is for me. But we're going to just keep rolling. I'm going to read it for you, and this is what happens when you're just a mess. This week, I had Jalen Watson number twenty one on the list, the cornerback from the Chiefs, so you know, quite high up there. That is where Isaiah likely is number twenty two. Zion Johnson, who I think made some strides as a run blocker at guard I think will get paid in free agency, Wandale Robinson and kept sneaking up my list throughout the course of the week. The slot receiver productive for the Giants Jonathan Franklin Myers probably the best option of a pretty weak defensive tackle group and free agency. Although there are a lot of guys who can just help you out for five to six hundred snaps, he's probably the best of those. Brian Cook, who I mentioned just briefly. Rashid Walker, the left tackle of the Packers, who who kind of is maybe the rich man's Braxton Jones, like a late round guy who just gave you like good enough left tackle production. I'm a little worried about him because I think he's gonna get paid big money. Jermaine Iluminar, who I mentioned more of a guy who's been around but is playing his best football at right tackle right now, is with the Giants last year, and then Romeo Dobbs is at twenty nine. That big group. I just gave you what stands out to you the most players that you like, players that are a little too high, too low.

00:40:54
Speaker 1: What do you think I think the two tackles together. Illuminar is so solid and has go from being I think a little bit fleaky with more high end plays to really struggling reps now just being straight across the board, just really clean all the way around. Walker, I think is similarly solid. He's actually fourteenth among left tackles and pressure rate last season, but has a higher athletic upside to be a bit of a factor for you in the wrong game, whereas most of Alumino's game is just like keeping the pocket as clean as possible in past protection. So if you're maybe looking for a solid right tackle and you're more of a pass centric offense, I think ALUMINOI is the guy you want to go get, and I think he's probably gonna get significantly more money than's being projected.

00:41:35
Speaker 2: I agree with that. Maybe I just undersold them. I don't think he's gonna get as much as as Walker, and I love to see it. I am absolutely biased. We all are, you know, like in different ways. And the fact that he is one of the pride and joy of our friend Henry Hodgson and the International Pathway Program. And I've been tracking Illumino's career from the beginning, and there was a minute he almost was struggling to stay in the league, which seemed crazy because he had a lot of good tape out there. So it's a really big success story development wise for him to be at this point where he's really going to cash in. So I'm really happy for him. Do you have any takes on Jalen Watson A guy I just didn't know where to rank him. A cornerback, maybe similar to Brian Cook, who he's been in that system for Kansas City, and I think it is going to get a good deal in free agency, but I might be over overrating what kind of deal he's going to get, and maybe where I have him ranked here.

00:42:38
Speaker 1: Yeah, he's one where I'd be worried about him being out of Kansas City. He's not someone I would go and pay good money to to extract him away, though maybe would do someone like a Chicka Conko some way. If I'm in a bidding, what I'd really want to just buy into the fact we could probably get more off chigacon Quo. I'd be worried about, not necessarily just the La Jerry Sneed side of things, but I think paying those kind of sticky man coverage guys Noli gets and all those guys play really well and technically sound, and so you bring into another system where most league is so zoned dense now and he's just not as clean and that arid the game that I'd be worried about paying him solid money.

00:43:12
Speaker 2: Okay, Yeah, it's good perspective, and yeah, he might be moving down the list just just a little bit, just a little bit. All right, let's get outside the top fifty here. Now we're really going deep and we'll talk about just some big picture stuff. But Bradley Chubb is here. He just got cut by the Dolphins. Devin Bush, who was on some second team All Pro you know, considerations including I believe from Ali, came off a monster season out of nowhere for the Browns. His teammate last year, Wyatt Teller, who I'm struggling with, has plenty of good tape out there, but was benched at one point last year by the Browns. He announced this week, you know, he's moving on from the Browns, one of the many players who have void years and is going to be costing money to the Browns. But he'll be available and I think he'll be starting for someone this year. Aj Epanessa the edge for the Bills. Khalaias Campbell, who probably is still ranked too low every year. Travis Kelcey and Aaron Rodgers are next. I just liked having those three guys all in a row. That was kind of by accident, but I think it's where they deserve to be because Kelsey is a very unique case. Aaron Rodgers, I don't think is going to be playing winning football at all, but you absolutely get a bump positional value as a quarterback, and he could get you by certainly in the right system. Justin Strenaud one of your favorites, and then Jakwan Brisker. Justin stronaut kind of an edge I mean, not an edge, a linebacker who can use just bum rushing the quarterback. I mean talk about your beloved because he is on your list of guys you would want to sign Justin Stronaud.

00:44:45
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think only me and Missus Stronaud care about Justin to this degree. He is the best technical, blitzing linebacker in the NFL, flat out simple, particularly mug draw, blitzing from depth, everything. People I think would think more of Ivan Pays, Frank You, Luvium, all the small type blitzeres. In terms of just technique, never selling it, always getting home. Just instronautomy is the best the NFL. Him and Bobby Wagner are probably the two.

00:45:11
Speaker 2: Best, and Bobby Wagner's coming up. I might be underrated him too. I do send this this list and talk to some friends. You know a few people in the league and a lot of the media friends, and you weren't the only stronad fan, so that that helps.

00:45:26
Speaker 1: Me me events Every year, Payton is trying to find new linebackers events to work with, and he says, don't worry about it. We got just in.

00:45:32
Speaker 2: A okay, And I think that's that's a strategy that could win. You had some guys that you were wary of, and I'll give you some of mine too, But Devin Bush was on that list. So is Bradley Chubb. So we just hit two of those guys. Chubb, I think speaks for itself. Just a guy who's had a lot of injuries, maybe a little inconsistent down to down, and the production maybe outweighs like the the impact Devin Bush where he's at, with where he's at.

00:46:04
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a tricky one because I thought he had an all Pro cal of a season as you mentioned last year, just paying for that one season in that system, playing behind that defensive line alongside sweesnob with the unbelievable protection behind him. Because del Pit was absolutely out of control last season for the Browns and Covid up smoke Bush's mistakes, I'd be really wary about bringing him into another situation based on all the stuff in Pittsburgh. He was a transformed player, and it's just I struggled to think that's going to carry over for a two year, three year contract.

00:46:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, I have preceps. I try to do these rankings. By one of them is don't just rank off the last year. That's That's what I feel like is a mistake in the draft a little bit where people really ignore the junior years entirely. I think it's a mistake doing these lists. The entire body of works should be considered, and that makes me feel better about maybe bringing Bush even lower. He started quite high, but there are other good players at that position. This is where it's just you're picking favorites here because from sixty to one twenty one thirty, there's not a huge huge difference. All Right, I'm gonna go sixty to seventy. DJ Reader still an effective enough nose tackle for the Lions, but definitely on the back nine of his career. Javonte Williams was great for the Cowboys last year for a one year pickup, and you want a rugged running back, I think he's a good good option ed Ingram coming off a career year guard for the Texans. Cordale Flatt, who man seeing him up here, he started around one twenty one to thirty, I started thinking more about it. Arnold Abachetti is another guy who's moved up my board throughout the week. Last few weeks. Draymont Jones had a lot of production when he was traded to the Ravens. Sneaky young that partly did it. When I was comparing him in Hassan Reddick who will get to I was like, wow, he he is younger. Josh job is here who we talked about, Kingsley and Nigbari who's a solid young player for the Packers as Sante Samuel Junior who I might have too high. And Kenny Gainwell, the you know, famous team MVP from the Pittsburgh Steelers. I had guys I would be wary of. And Ed Ingram was kind of on my list here and yet I'm putting him in my sixties, but I just know he's going to get get good money. We've talked so much offensive line I can almost hear Eric's, you know, saying, do the sizzle positions? So how about some of these sizzle positions? Out of these ten who stand out to you? We got Javonte Williams there, we got Cordell flat up in the mix. Do you think Ebaketty or Draymond Jones or Enigbari could get big money in terms of like the defensive lineman.

00:48:50
Speaker 1: Ebiketty interests me. I think you have to be a really blit centric defense to cover up some of his concerns. He's not kind of the speed bend off the ball where if it's you know and nine the playoffs of the Super Bowl, we want him truly in the rotation. But I think he can give you good, solid, all our effort type stuff. And if you look at what's at the top end of your list with Oway and those guys, I don't think it's that stark and decline depending on your defensive system to go all the way down there to.

00:49:16
Speaker 2: Well, then why weren't they playing no more? That's the biggest issue I have is.

00:49:20
Speaker 1: Because they invested two first round picks and everyone's job was on the line.

00:49:24
Speaker 2: Right, But that means they think those two first round picks were better than him. Is James Pierce no better than him? No? You don't think so?

00:49:32
Speaker 1: Okay, that worried me more than anything that the way they were playing, they required first step quickness, that Ebucetti does not have. If you just say we're going to put in with the Niners with the Eagles and it's going to be more four down and go rush, just run out in through someone's chest for thirty five snaps, everyone else will feast. He is willing to do that for you, and that's the kind of play those teams need.

00:49:54
Speaker 2: I don't know how I landed on Cordeill Flat Island. I'm not even sure why. I just like he was pretty good last Year's right, he's young, he's coming off his working contract, and he's been like a slow progression. Cornerbacks are inconsistent, and I just feel like he got better and better. So okay, I don't feel that bad about that.

00:50:15
Speaker 1: A weird one, the ingram one. I know you said we're doing too much offensive line play, but I now think that his development was legit, that it wasn't like flashy and just he wasn't making such obvious mistakes where guys just you know, turn styling him immediately off the snap, which is what most of his kray was. I do think he was a lot more solid, and so I could buy into based on the pre draft record, what teams will have had about him pre draft and kind of seeing it come together right before frames Yet I could see him getting some more money.

00:50:41
Speaker 2: Oh, I think he'll do well. I was just a little worried, but I like hearing that. I think he's I feel good about where he's at. By the way I mentioned Jaqwon Brisker before, he's a really unique situation. If you're just going off his tape, in his age and his pedigree and the way he plays football, he'd be even higher on this list for me. His history of concussions are just so worrisome that I kind of split the difference and put him in the middle. But he might be a cross off for a lot of teams and hopefully the Bears just treat him well keep him there. I think he belongs there and that would be great a Sante Samuel Junior being this high. I know he's not much of a run stop or anything, but he came back out there last year and I thought he played pretty well. And if you're just going to give me replacement level, like solid starting cornerback value, do you think I have him too high? And am I being too sentimental? Because I went back to check the first top one oh one free agents list that Chris and I put together. I actually was doing this. I don't think it was one oh one at Pro Football Talk. I don't know if it was every single year, So that wasn't the first time I ever did it. It was the first time we did at NFL dot Com, me and Chris Westling. And on the first one we did together, which was twenty fourteen, we had a Sante Samuel I think it was number sixty eight. He was at the end of his career, and I just I just like the fact that this has to be the first father son pairing to make the list. Did I think I put him at the same number just for fun, which only I would know, but now our listeners know.

00:52:10
Speaker 1: I like that. You know you're trying to guess up the replacement level corner and the cook reached up. You just complain in the league in twenty twenty six if you ask out of anything in the primitter game, run game, screen game, and you can be fine running and turning down the field and you know, do all the swipes and hands swipes when there's an incompletion around you. He's not interested in the fight, and that's the player I would cross off the board.

00:52:37
Speaker 2: This is tough. You know, the list, it can change quickly. Guys can go from sixty to off it. Because there's so many guys I really love, and we will get to that. This is going to be a long show. Sorry, Eric and Chris. We're gonna make a meal out of the top one and one. I don't want to rush it, but there's so many guys out of the one oh one, and it's like, you know, I get some feedback, Oh, they should be they should be hired. They should be hired from people people don't ever want to say they should be way lower for some reason they should be higher. Well, it's like, yeah, but you got to start just taking completely people completely off the list if you're going to be moving all these guys you like. But maybe Asante is one of those guys.

00:53:13
Speaker 1: Certainly I am to hack your list apart for you. If you would like Kata Kohu, I don't believe makes your list. He should problem now.

00:53:20
Speaker 2: He's on the list. He's a list.

00:53:21
Speaker 1: He made on the list. Okay, he should certainly be above Samuel. He actually started in the seventies. Now he's down to ninety one right now. But he's on the list, but I could move him up. I know he is one of your favorites.

00:53:32
Speaker 2: I had a list and I mentioned Ingram was on it, but I want to go through it, and we're going to take one more break of the guys to be wary of. We gave yours. The rest are guys we mentioned towards the top. I want to you know, I want to swing big here Kyle Pitts. I'm a little wary of for the money that he's going to get as just like a big receiver, and you just saw him at his best, and are you going to keep getting that. I'm a little wary of Daniel Jones, which is funny because I think overall I have been higher on him from day one, and I've been consistent than average that I thought in the right situation, I think he can be like a you know, a replacement plus level, like the sixteenth best quarterback in the league, which is which can be that's valuable. And he was an even better situation last year coming off in Achilles, all the injuries that he has. I am worried about him, say Amla. We talked about QUITTI pay, We talked about Kwaate Walkers is another guy you're a linebacker guy I'd put on my be wary of because he just feels like the profile of a guy who's gonna get huge money when there's other guys available at the position.

00:54:36
Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree with you that the thing people are hoping for from him is, Oh, if you him to a completely different system where he's unlocked as this attack based player and it's a ton of blitzing. Look at the athleticism, he's just never really showing up on the field snap stup, He's ever been the best linebacker in his own tandem. So I just think it's chasing the player that was really exciting coming out of college, rather than evaluating the pro film and going baseline. If you're looking full impactful, blitzing play, you can go and get yourself a Justin Strnad, a Devin Bush, someone that will be I think far cheap, and then teams that will default back too. We wish we drafted him in the second round and he wasn't available to us.

00:55:11
Speaker 2: This has been a very useful exercise with me. For me, I'm going all the way to the end. Let's take one more break and then let's hit the end of the list before we leave. All right, we are back on NFL Daily. We're up to number seventy on the list. Ali Connolly is with me. He said he's ready to go four hours. I don't know if that's a threat or a promise. We will see number seventy. Monteric aka Buster Brown love watching him this year. Had a career year in his contract year. Maybe he's too high, but I like me some Montic Brown Nayshaun Wright talk about a guy who timed just a year out of nowhere. Well, really curious to see what his market is, but I'm a little afraid of giving him big money. To Mario Davis still playing well, We're into the aged guys who can give you one more good year. Kevin Zeitler's probably still in that category. Guard for the Titans. I had no idea where to put Tyreek Hill. He would be a cross off for me because of the off field issues plus the injury stuff. There's a sliding scale for off field issues in the league. And by off field issues, we're not just talking even about driving fast, We're talking about domestic violence. We're talking about what he was suspended for back when he was the Chiefs and you saw in some reporting and you heard about this stuff of being a quote unquote distraction, to put it nicely, didn't really stop when he was on the Dolphins. So that plus the injury, which is a dislocated knee, you know, and a broken leg, is just a cross off for me. That said, you know, he's still Tyreek Hill. Someone's going to give him a shot at some point. I don't know how early it'll be. This year. That was a long Tyreek killjag Logan Hall, the defensive tackle for the Bucks read blanken Ship safety for the Eagles. Al Kahed Mohammed, coming off of extremely productive year for the Lions at thirty years old, he's bounced around the league. David Anyamada, who's out there for Dennis Allen to go pick up and it wouldn't surprise me if he does. And Marcus Mariota, who's putting up good film as he gets older as a backup quarterback. That is my seventy to seventy nine who stands out to you the most out of that group.

00:57:36
Speaker 1: I'm not a blanken Ship guyin he's significantly a product of the system, and even within that system is just an all time gamble. He just gambles a whole bunch, and when you're playing with the Krupp of plays he's playing with, you don't always see the gambles exposed so much. I'd be really wary about him going into another system unless it was specifically a kind of Fanjo Coffy. Would Brandon Staley pick him up to kind of bring more experience to the same secondary, I would be cool with that, But just as an across the board putting a ranking together, I just wouldn't be on blanken ship.

00:58:08
Speaker 2: I thought I was putting him quite low, but you're making me think and I haven't checked all the other lists. I've seen a little bit of the PFF list, so maybe I'm not lower than contensus. I kind of want to be lower than consensus, so maybe I'll check that out. Uh, Logan, do you have it? Don't have any Logan Hall thoughts. Not many interior defensive linemen coming up at the end of their rookie contract, almost none. He's the best one that shows any promise and a little bit of improvement. Yeah, he was an interesting one for me. He fits the profile of a guy who would get paid more than people expect that. I'm just not sure if you will or not.

00:58:48
Speaker 1: No, I just think he's so stiff and doesn't offer an awful lot few on passing downs other than being big enough in physical enough to command a double team that gets someone else free. But you can just go and find that with like an drafted free agent. Like I don't think it's it's necessary to invest good free agent dolls in that kind of play.

00:59:05
Speaker 2: Okay, I mean you said you're gonna hack my list. We might just have to get on the phone after this, or we could just do it as a podcast. To Mario Davis, I moved up through the process. I just kept feeling bad. I was like, he's still helping.

00:59:16
Speaker 1: He's the best.

00:59:17
Speaker 2: I know it'll I know it'll stop one time, but like it's not stopping. I asked you for boomer Bus players, we're gonna hit yours after the next ten because because one of yours is in that next ten. U but Nashon Wright was was in in my group, Practically every cornerback almost felt like a boomer Bus. Maybe not Josh Job, but I don't think he's boomer Bus. But a lot of these cornerbacks are boomer Bus. Quincy Williams, who we haven't gotten to, feels like a boomer bust. If Robert Salas signs him in Tennessee, which I fully expect, he'll probably play really well, so he'll outplay the ranking. Nacobe Dean was the one I wanted to circle back to. I think he's a bit of a boomer bus because of the injuries. Where do you think Nacobe Dean is at in the in the linebacker sphere? I talked to some people, boolf I mean, I'll put his name on it, just like you know the cover of the Eagles. He was surprised, like I was as high on the Kobe Dean as I was. What do you think I have him in the top forty?

01:00:13
Speaker 1: Yeah. I think he got a lot of national attention from being from the Georgia defense. Then those Eagles groups being so great, and he's such a psychopath and so explosive, you get really excited about the possibilities. I love the idea of him moving to a different system where it's not so reado and react, where he's not on the first line of scrimmage as often as he's been forced to be with the Eagles and getting into one of these complete blitz freakazoids out there. If he's with Brian Flores. I'm all kinds of excited about the turbo charge and getting off the ball so quickly and maybe being able to conceal some of the concerns with the dropping back and reading and reacting type stuff. And we've got so many of those defense in the league right now. I would like to see that. But it's not a league filled of all out, full throttle pressure and attack. It's kind of showing it and backing own. It's a bit more complex and sophisticated, and I think his has developed enough to truly handle. So I have him locked in as I think he's gonna get a ton of money because team Yeah, yeah, I think he's gonna get way more than you think. Now it's a deep class, and maybe I'm off with that, but I do think he's got unteachable first step quicks and people adored him so much in the draft that being able to get a chance to get the hands on him, there'll be three or four teams who pushed the price up well.

01:01:20
Speaker 2: And he pops. He pops on film when you watch him, and he really did this year when it was going well. There was like you could if you pick his two best games this year, it's awesome.

01:01:31
Speaker 1: And so I think, and there are so many of these teams now who've got solid linebacker tandems, but they're just slow. And the good teams were slow. So even the good teams, the Patriots, I look at like someone like the Panthers, who might say, we just need speed at the position, and he's the most explosive guy available.

01:01:48
Speaker 2: Let's go eighty to eighty nine. Hassan Reddick, whom me and you have already talked about offline, who still had some good performances last year. I know the production wasn't there. I think he could help a team. Rico Doudo, who I felt bad ranking this low. Sheldon Rankins, who has been on this list more than any player in top one to one history other than the Devon Clowney, who we're gonna get to. But Sheldon Rankins is always here and he always fulfills the value that they wanted. Just about Deebo Samuel is here. Felt bad about ranking him this low. This is where I landed with Trevon Diggs, Braxton Jones. If I'm looking for guys to get out of the top one oh one, Like it wouldn't hurt me to get Braxton Jones out, so maybe I'll do that, even though he's at eighty six for Shad White, the backup running back for the Bucks, so I think is a good player. Greg Knewsom, a boomer bust cornerback, Kobe Durant who started a lot of games for a team that's won a lot of games and is young. And then Quincy Williams, who I mentioned I thought one of your boomer bus was in this crew. I was wrong, So let's stay with this crew for a second. Braxton Jones, I keep asking about off linemen because that's where I feel like I need the most help. Maybe a replacement level guy, but ultimately wasn't the guy that the Bears wanted, but started a lot of games for him. What do you think about him even making it onto this list? I think making onto list is fine.

01:03:13
Speaker 1: We're getting into the crop, as you said, of like old hired hands one year deals, and maybe there's more potential there with him. Where could he develop into a solid capable starter. He's just so maddeningly inconsistent, and he's probably gonna be on those pickups where beat writers and fans start saying, well, they've solved this position, so we don't have to worry about it for the draft, and then in week four you're just, you know, flaming him online about how is this the guy that we brought into the team.

01:03:37
Speaker 2: I don't think Debo is going to have a great market. I said that on our round the n NFC program, and I got some pushback on that. That was surprised.

01:03:46
Speaker 1: I thought you played really well to open last season. Could you blame more of a pitch count. I think if you get into the charges with Mike McDaniel, I would be all sorts of intrigued. And could you just design six specific touches a game bit of a decoy on some of the stuff and kind of navigate through the season and get him healthier down the stretch of the year.

01:04:04
Speaker 2: Again, I'm always influenced by the last thing I heard, and I do love me some devot just feels like it's two games at a time, three games at a time, then it's three bad games at it, and it's just been like that for years. That's hard, but you're right in the right system. He could be interesting. Let's go ninety on. Oh, we're really doing it here, I mean we're at the end of this list. Dallas Godter is number ninety. Hayter Kohu, You're you're slot receiver from the Dolphins who missed all of last year with an injury, but was great the year before. Bobby Wagner the disrespect getting down here, Malcolm Kuntz. Christian Kirk could potentially take him off the list, but it is Christian Kirk. Jalen Thompson, the safety from the Cardinals who's had a pretty good year, I mean a good career. Darren Waller who moved great last year when he returned. Kevin Bayern, who I feel really bad about putting this low. I feel bad about all these guys, Cam Jordan, Alex Angelodi, David and Joku. And then number one is Jedevian Clowning. We have a lot more to talk about here, but let's talk about the one oh one options. Ali, are you familiar with how I do the one oh one please? Okay? So players will be cut, players will be franchise tag, players will be added, players will re sign. We have editors taking care of the list, and I have to add players on when they become available. The list is always changing, so the one oh one is always changing. I need to make like one hundred and twenty write ups because more players are going to re sign and get franchise tag, then get cut and put on list. But it's always changing. But the one oh one is an honor where that player is just you just fix him there and he somehow represents something that I that I like about the league that I just feel can carry the weight of being the one oh one. And so we had some different options this year. Joku interesting guy, had a big moment overseas, you know, like loving it up with the fans. That was cool. Cam Jordan, I think he would taken it as an insult. He's a colleague. I think he's gonna take this ranking as an insult if he finds out about it. Hopefully he won't. Jimmy Garoppolo was a pretty strong option. We haven't mentioned him yet. He's after that. I think he's been one O one before. Patrick Ricard, who I kind of forgot about because I just sorted by running backs, might need to be much higher on the list. We'll talk about him too. He would be a fun option, but I settled on Jadevian Clowney because to me, he, more than anyone, has defined this list over the last decade, always on it, sometimes near the very top. He's been as high as I think number three, number two in some years. Usually returns pretty good on investment as long as he's healthy, and just like the ultimate free agent, you know, he defines free agency.

01:06:55
Speaker 1: He does define phrase. He rocks up week one. Don't worry about training camp. I'll just up and get you seven secks and a couple of preushes and we'll all have fun.

01:07:03
Speaker 2: I don't think he was on the list last year, and I thought he was finally done, and like I did see on some other lists, like he was top fifty or something, and I was like, okay, that's too far. But he was so productive that I think he deserves the respect of even being on the list. To me, he's the perfect one on one. So I'm not gonna be talked out of this one.

01:07:21
Speaker 1: And there's not that much edge juice. You mentioned some of these young guys in the untapped potential. I just don't see. I think a lot of those guys are just flame ounts who are taken too high in the draft and people at default into pre draft expectations. At least with Clowney, you know what you're getting. I think the same with Derek Bonnett. You know what you're getting with Derek Bonnett. The one guy who's not there who I think will be a good one on one is Charlie Cola who fits.

01:07:42
Speaker 2: But you're missing, You're missing.

01:07:44
Speaker 1: I know you want to, I know you want moment you put him.

01:07:46
Speaker 2: In at ninety nine or something if we wanted to make the case.

01:07:49
Speaker 1: Yeah, I accept that Clowney is the.

01:07:51
Speaker 2: Is the perfect Thank you. No, that's sorry for cutting you off on Coler. I'm saying Cohler can't could be a great player. He can't carry he can't car that wait, h Charlie Kohler. He needs to be someone that people recognize. But he was one of your was he one of your sleepers? There are a bunch of different lists out there. He was one of your guys that you would you would sign, would be Charlie Cohler, So, uh, you can talk about him a little bit. But you also had Cohu as one of your sleepers, Dennis Gardeck as one of your sleepers. Jalen Naylor, Roger McCreery, uh and Derek Barnett. Naylor the receiver, he was on the list initially for the Vikings. I think he might get a pretty good contract. McCreery, who the Rams traded for the cornerback, Derek Barnett the pass rushers. So these are guys that didn't make the one oh one right now that that you like as as sleepers.

01:08:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, co Ou for sure. I think if you're looking for a slot collner who can attack in the rong game, attack in the blitz game, hang well enough in mancover Ridge, he's one of the guys out there. I mean, the whole blueprint for the team fell upon the Dolphins when they lost Kayakoh in training camp. He is so he was so asent to the whole structure of the defense. They started having to trade and pick up late for agents, trying to figure out a new structure with where the league is at right now, bunch of two tight ends, bunch of heavy personnel. Slot corner has to be so invested in the pressure game, in the ring game, and Code to me is right up there probably the top twelve fourteen of slot corners defending an attacking too the flood.

01:09:22
Speaker 2: It will really be interesting to see his market. But those guys, you just haven't gotten paid enough over the years. Even Kenny Moore when he was available, I mean, he did well, but it's all relative and coming off an injury. Yeah, that would be a great bargain pick. I do want to go through the end of this list because some of these guys could be susceptible to getting kicked off the list. If we're moving guys up between, you know, let's say Bracton Jones, Greg Newsoen, Kobe Durant. Then we get into the final guys on the list, Bobby Wagner, Kristen Kirk, Jalen Thompson, Kevin Byerd cam Jordan, Alex Angeloni. In joke, I mean these are good players, Darren Waller, give me a couple that you would boot off the list. I'm putting you on the spot.

01:10:07
Speaker 1: Okay, Well, Jalen Thompson, I would move up probably full TEENOS spots. I think he's gonna be in high demand. I would take and this this hurts me to my soul. I would take Bobby Wagner out.

01:10:20
Speaker 2: Wow, just off the list entirely.

01:10:23
Speaker 1: I think he is transformed his game in ways I truly admire it and appreciate. But he is just so frozen these days that it's just almost not worth having him on the field at this point.

01:10:35
Speaker 2: Yeah, there were a lot of tough moments of the ball flying over his head and just yeah, but here's the thing with him, I can take the easy way out mentally into the listeners that he might be retiring, And like, I didn't even put Harrison Smith or Joel Potonio down because I assume they are retiring until proven otherwise. And I think you could kind of say that about Bobby Wagner. You just one, you know, Walter Payton, Man of the Year, So then I don't feel as as bad about it. You got to give me more, though, because you have all these guys you want on the list. You want, you want Coohler moving up, you know you probably do. You want pat Riccard moving up. He was a painful omission.

01:11:15
Speaker 1: It's a painful admission. He's not the play he was two seasons ago. So I would rather have Charlie Cole than I would recover.

01:11:25
Speaker 2: Right, But you also got your sleepers, gar Deck Naylor. These are guys who are in my top one thirty. Certainly Derek Barnett is in there too, quietly been pretty good for the Texans the last last few years. All right, no one, no one seems to stand out to you as like they have to get get off. No one offends you.

01:11:41
Speaker 1: I think, not offensive. But I think ANZELONEI is is pretty grossly.

01:11:47
Speaker 2: That's how I felt too. So actually I feel good about it, Like he has moved down and down, like he started much higher. And I think it's more of a you know, to quote the great Chris Wesley name over game situation when we're making this list, He's just like a name that I know. He's played a lot for a good team, but yeah, he maybe doesn't make sense on this list. Greg Newsom is a guy I would be wary of, but I think he might get paid a lot. I was torn of. He was a cornerback that the Jaguars traded for during the season from the Browns. If I had made this list a year ago of prospective free agents, like, he's probably in the top forty because I just think of him as a young, rising, really talented cornerback. So I think he could get a pretty big contract. I could be wrong, and yet like I wouldn't kill me to take him out of the top one on one.

01:12:40
Speaker 1: Now he terrifies me as a signing. He's just so up and down, but he will put together like three straight weeks so boldline all pro level where you might kick yourself if he's not.

01:12:50
Speaker 2: On this, that's enough. You gotta make the one on one.

01:12:53
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think he is to me the only truth fit outside of Cleveland way well before. It would make sense as the Jets, the volume of mind coverage, the system they run, that would be why I'd be willing to say we could maybe bring him in, plug him into two seasons. Otherwise I think someone's gonna have real bias remlse where they pay him. He's such a pole scheme fit that he's not even on the team in a season.

01:13:14
Speaker 2: So I asked you for some boom or bust players. You put Malcolm Kuntz, who wasn't great last year coming off an injury, but now he's a year further remove. Could be interesting. You put Son Reddick, which the fact that you think he could be a boom is all I need to hear in terms of where he is. I tend to agree Rashid Shahid. We talked about Chegou Konko is a is a guy that we agreed for that category and a guy I would be intrigued to sign absolutely, Like, what do you think his his market will be?

01:13:45
Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be really high with these teams moving to as much too tight tend as possible. I think he'd be an excellent fit for the Patriots, For Josh McDaniels. He's just the reason why it's been want busted. Me is I have such a feel, just like deepen my football bones, that the way more in there. But you might get to like week three and just look around the rest of the stuff and go, actually, we weren't really wrong about the untapped potential, and we thought the Titan stuff with Bozo's actually they were onto something and you would just know it and you'll go.

01:14:12
Speaker 2: Really early, Well he I know there's some different strengths and weaknesses, but he's just playing out that. That's what I always thought about Johnny Smith. Why I thought that signing by the Patriots was fantastic and then it turned out I don't. I think what you see was what you got, and actually they're kind of similar in terms of they looked really good as rookies and just stayed that way. So that that's an interesting guy to think about. You put Christian Wilkins down, which I'm glad you mentioned a guy who had one hundred million dollar contract from the Raiders then got cut. There was that whole story about like that he made people uncomfortable in the locker room. The injury was devastating. But he is out there and he's just a reminder. I did write him down with a big question mark like in my one twenties, but I just don't know what his deal is. But he was a guy who earned a one hundred million dollar contract in the NFL, So I'm glad we mentioned him on the show.

01:15:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, and played at a level that probably could have even got a little bit more than that the year he got the contracts. Just is he okay mentally? How is the foot health? If he's dialed in and there's a you know, sound medical check, you're gonna get him on keep us contract imaginable if he wants to play. And so I think if you're one of the contenders looking for sub rush help, if you just imagine him going to the Texans and it's like week seven. It's like the Texans brought Christian Wilkins in. I feel like it would terrify everyone the Texans got their hands on him. So if I was a team who was like rebuilding looking for some juice up front, I would certainly be making the call early to find out what's going on.

01:15:43
Speaker 2: Texans is a great fit for him to rebuild his value because you could get him on one of those Sheldon rankings or Tim Settle Derek Barnett deals, or it's like one for five or whatever, and sell him on the idea of rehabbing his value play for a good team. He's someone I'm going to be looking for, all right. The last thing we'll talk about is just the painful emissions. These are also kind of sleepers for me. A sleeper would be Buster Brown, who I mentioned earlier, but the painful emissions. Jack Jones is not on my list, pat Ricard is not on the list. Jimmy Garoppolo is just outside the list.

01:16:19
Speaker 1: He probably Why are you upset about leaving Jimmy Garoppolo off? Why would you pay Jimmy Garoppolo money?

01:16:25
Speaker 2: He's gonna have a market. Why don't you do well. Don't you to play to be a good backup quarterback? I think back, I always say backup quarterbacks are so undervalued because it's so valuable to have a guy who could play three pretty good games for you. Don't you think that's Jimmy Garoppolo.

01:16:44
Speaker 1: No, you don't know.

01:16:46
Speaker 2: I mean you know who disagrees with you, Sean freaking McVeigh.

01:16:49
Speaker 1: And I appreciate Sholan's perspective. I like toell most perspective about Peyton Manning. If Peyton goes down, we'reft. Don't worry about the backup. I believe in that set a thing. I would rather just go into the draft and throw a doll, throw at Tys Simpsonal Garrett, no smile one of the day to you guys. Then I will be interested in bringing Jimmy Garoppolo in.

01:17:09
Speaker 2: I was like wanting to love his preseason with the Rams, and then it was like, I guess they were always afraid to play him, so then you never really saw or even his practice. I'm thinking of like when I saw them do the move the ball field for an entire day and I was like, Okay, they love Jimmy Grappo, but I yeah, it's a big difference watching him and Matthew Stafford in the same practice, so it's maybe unfair. Kiris Tanga, I felt bad about leaving off the list. Snoop Puntley put up some good film last year. I felt bad about leaving off the list. Naje Harris was, you know, pretty highly ranked on this list a year ago. Bradley Pinion is a good punter Justice for punters. Maybe he should be on the list. I think he led the NFL and punts inside the twenty this year if you care about us, like, he's a good directional punter. But you know, I don't know if he deserves to make the list of Are there any guys I didn't leave on? Maybe the group I just said that you really love that you would put on or anyone else. I guess you gave your sleepers of guys that we haven't mentioned.

01:18:07
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mentioned god Deck, who I think should be on that. And then Jalen Nayla not making the top one O one I find a little bit peculiar. I think he's got We mentioned about the Juan Jennings signing of can you find someone who's more not reliable category? I don't think Nail is quite at the Jennings level. Book, could I see him having a super productive season for a very good offense. I absolutely good. Having a quotes back who is willing and capable and allowed to throw to the middle of the field would really help Jaalen Naylor and use hmmm.

01:18:33
Speaker 2: Good dig there. I think it's because I have these relationships in my mind, you know, parasocial relationships with these guys who I've watched for so long, and I've ranked them sometimes on this list, and it's like, you know, can I really leave old Dallas Goddard off list?

01:18:49
Speaker 1: No?

01:18:50
Speaker 2: I you know, I haven't hit Kevin Byard or Cam Jordan. It's like I got to get all these guys on, and then I don't feel as bad about Jalen Naylor, who I don't really know as well.

01:18:58
Speaker 1: You know, but even you've got Tyreek on the list, who is in the Tyson zone. You mentioned all the off the fields problems anyway, but is in the sense of you're gonna bring him into the locker room and not know what's gonna happen day to day, whether he'll be there on Monday, whether you got to cut him on Friday. That is not a concern with Jalen Nyala, who I think can be a really productive player.

01:19:17
Speaker 2: You've done it, You're right. And Tyreek Hill specifically, I didn't even put on the list initially, and then I was just like, I'll just throw him in at the seventies. But I don't feel that. I don't feel that my soul and I did some digging on him this week and nothing came back in the type of way where it's like, oh, it's not good, you know, like I don't know if he's playing football anytime soon anyways, like this, like we don't know just injury alone. We know that NFL teams are craving and if Andy Reid has a chance to give Tyreek Kill another shot for three million dollars, I mean, he's definitely doing that whatever it is, but he might not just might not even be able to play. All right, I'm going to look for some guys to take off. But you're right, Jalen Naylor fits the profile. Would you rather have Jalen Naylor or Christian Kirk Jalen Naylor, Yeah, I think so too. Kirk was that one game, but it was pretty schemed up for the Texans, and before that he was he was struggling to produce to get on the field. We've done it, and this will maybe be the last Top one O one episode that we ever do that isn't every single player one minute per Thank you, Ali Connolly. You can catch Ali at the Read Optional podcast. He's also you're writing a lot these days, right, so what can they what can they find there? In terms of the podcast and what you're writing.

01:20:42
Speaker 1: We are in full draft season, full scott In reports as deep as you could ever imagine. It's almost like uncomfortable how deep BI go on the prospects, the scheme fit, the strengths, the weaknesses, the grades, all of it.

01:20:54
Speaker 2: So it's my dream to get you on a podcast with Jeremiah and just see what happens, you know, just like throw some red meat out on players that I know you guys disagree and see what happens. But you know, we're we're going to be tapping into your draft expertise if we can in the next couple of months, and of course we're thinking draft over the next week, we are going to the Combine. That's the next show you're gonna hear is Me from Indianapolis with Ian Rappaport on Monday, unless he backs out last second, and then this will be a document that he did that go to be Met and Ian the top one to one. The written version comes out Monday morning. Thank you, Ali. Thanks to everyone for listening.